The On Call Room
by katielex
Summary: Ric and Serena end up in the On Call room after a night out...
1. Chapter 1

**Just a little idea that came to me whilst writing Pretence. I've been surprised by the lack of Serena/Ric fics. Second part to be posted tomorrow hopefully. Hope you like it :)**

* * *

'Ok, Diggers and I have it from here.' Malick told his two superiors. 'You can both get off home, if you can actually get a taxi in this weather.' He added. There had been a severe weather warning for the last few hours. He was surprised Mr Griffin and Ms Campbell had not gone straight home hours ago after their shifts.

'Oh it's just a few snowflakes!' Serena said dismissively.

'Are you sure you can manage?' Ric asked solemnly.

'Even if I couldn't, neither of you are in any state to help me.' Malick replied, giving them both a stern look.

Serena giggled and Ric looked sheepish. Digby watched them both nervously. Ms Campbell scared him on the best of days and he always felt in awe of Mr Griffin. Seeing them both clearly intoxicated as they were now was strange.

'We'll be off then.' Ric told them just as Chantelle arrived.

'I've settled Mr Spence into bed and the pain meds have kicked in. He's fine now.' She told them.

'Oh I simply _must _go and say goodnight!' Serena said mischievously.

'I really think you ought to be heading home as soo…' Malick began but Serena had walked away ignoring him. 'It is pretty bad out there.' He told Ric instead.

'We won't be long.' Ric said with a nod. 'Don't take all night Serena!' he called after her.

Malick sighed. There was no point in talking to them, they never listened to a word he said anyway.

'Poor Mr Spence.' Chantelle said. 'He's lucky you and Ms Campbell were there.'

Ric rolled his eyes. He could still picture Michael flying backwards across the floor and crashing into a table after being punched by the rather mean and rather large boyfriend of the woman he had been chatting up in Albie's. It had been a pretty bad fall and he had bruised some ribs as well as hitting his head. Ric almost felt sorry for him. But despite Michael's protestations that he did not know the young woman had a boyfriend and his insistence that he didn't give the guy any backchat, Ric found it hard to believe him. Michael had begged not to be brought to A&E or AAU and so they had brought him to Keller to be seen too. No doubt there would be hell to pay if word got out they had circumvented the usual admission procedures. Luckily, Keller was pretty quiet.

Ric noticed Digby standing by nervously. This really wasn't the best example to be setting the boy. Three drunk consultants on the ward – one of them as a patient after a drunken pub brawl! He was starting to wish he hadn't let Serena and Michael talk him into "a quick drink" after his shift – four hours ago. Up until the point when Michael had been hurled across the floor however he had to admit he had been having a good time. Whatever else Serena Campbell might be, when she wanted she could be extremely good company. And it was always fun to have a partner in sparring with Michael. Ric smiled to himself and turned to look towards Michael's bed on the ward. He could imagine how much Serena was enjoying teasing him about this and how she would for some time to come!

'All tucked up, nice and cosy?' Serena asked as she approached.

'I'm never going to hear this end of this am I?' Michael asked wearily.

'Oh I very much doubt it.' Serena grinned. 'And don't you look adorable in your little hospital gown.' She added in a cutesy voice.

'Yea, yea. Go away now please.' Michael retorted. 'It's almost past Ric's bedtime.'

'Oh Ric will get to bed on time, don't you worry.' Serena said absentmindedly as she noticed Ric signalling at her to hurry up.

'Yea? I thought that's the way things were headed.' Michael smirked.

'His bed!' Serena stressed realising how he was interpreting her comment.

'Well he does live closer Holby.' Michael nodded with a wicked glint in his eyes.

Serena sighed. 'You know what I meant!'

'Hey, I think you guys should go for it. Do you both some good. Get rid of some frustrations, if you know what I mean.'

'I'd rather choose to ignore what you mean.' Serena replied. 'Now…' she began to tuck in the sheets around him. 'You be a good boy for the doctors and nurses won't you? And I'll be back to see you in the morning.' She placed her hands on either side of his head and forced a loud kiss on his forehead, laughing as he tried to turn his head away.

'Get off!' Michael protested. Serena laughed. 'I won't forget this,' he warned, 'some day the shoe will be on the other foot and I'll have the last laugh!'

But Serena simply walked away still laughing.

* * *

Serena and Ric stood outside the doors of Holby as snow began to fall more heavily. Ric was on his phone and Serena was dancing from foot to foot with the cold and humming an ABBA song.

'No good.' Ric told her. 'They say they won't have any cars on the road for the rest of the night.' That had been the third taxi firm he had called.

'So what are we meant to do?' Serena asked.

Ric shrugged. 'We should have gone home earlier. There _was_ a weather warning.'

'Shoulda, woulda, coulda.' Serena replied, shivering. 'That's what's wrong with this country,' Serena began mumbling, 'a little dust of snow and everything grinds to a halt.'

'Uh it's a little more than "a little dust of snow".' Ric said looking around.

Serena gave him a withering look. 'How close is your house?' she asked.

'Not close enough for that.' He replied, guessing that she was about to suggest they walk. 'We'll just have to stay here.'

'Ugh!' Serena grumbled, she linked her arm through his and snuggled against him slightly. 'We could go back to Albie's? A nice brandy? Warm us up?'

'Albie's was closing when we left.' Ric reminded her.

Serena sighed loudly. Ric turned them both around and they went back inside.

'At least the office is warm.' He told her, trying to look on the bright side.

'The office?' she asked with raised eyebrows. 'If you think I'm sleeping on a chair for the night in a building full of beds you can think again.' She pressed the button for the lift.

'We can't sleep on any of the wards, how would that look? It's bad enough being on the premises and intoxicated.'

'Oh who even knows the difference?' Serena asked at the precise moment she stepped to enter the lift and stumbled after catching her foot on the edge.

Ric caught her by the arm and kept her from falling.

'Oh yes, it's not noticeable at all.' He said sarcastically.

'That was an accident, could happen to anyone!' Serena said huffily. Ric simply smirked.

Serena automatically pressed the button for Keller.

'Is that a good idea?' Ric asked.

'All my ideas are good.' She replied cockily. 'Hasn't that sunk in yet?'

Ric rolled his eyes. Serena leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. He felt himself smile and let his head rest against the top of hers until the lift reached Keller.

'Not what?' he asked as they emerged.

'The On Call room.' She replied as if it were obvious.

'What if it's being used?'

'It better bloody not be!' Serena said. 'Malick and Diggory have only been on shift for 4 hours. If they can't manage that long without a lie down at their age!'

'Digby.' Ric said.

'What?'

'His name his Digby not Diggory.' He told her.

Serena stared at him as if wondering why he would bother voicing such a trivial fact when they had greater concerns to deal with.

'Anyway, not even Malick has the balls to throw either of us out of the On Call room.' She said. Ric nodded in agreement, she had a point.

When they reached the On Call room Serena said she needed the loo. Ric went inside and was relieved that it wasn't in use. Because even if no one on the ward would have the balls to throw them out, he would not take a bed from a colleague who genuinely needed it just because they had been too daft to go home on time.

It was at that moment that it dawned on him there was only one bed in Keller's On Call room.

* * *

'Thought you'd gone home?' Malick asked when he spotted Serena emerging from her and Ric's office.

'Change of plan. Seems the snow is causing a bit of bother and there are no taxi's running.' She replied.

'A bit of bother?' Malick asked. The city had pretty much shut down. 'I did warn you.'

'Yes, yes Mr Malick.' Serena rolled her eyes. 'You are indeed wise beyond your years and we should have listened to you. Naughty us!' she gave herself a pretend slap on the wrist.

'So you're going to sleep in the office?' he surmised, ignoring her sarcasm.

'No, the On Call room.' She eyed him carefully. 'It's not like any of you strapping young people will need it.' She smiled.

'No. Help yourselves.' Malick said flatly and watched her saunter off.

She found Ric sitting on a chair in the On Call room. She plonked on the bed without a word and produced a bottle of wine and two mugs from her bag.

'Where did you get that?' Ric asked in surprise.

'Remembered I had it in the office.' When she saw his look of disapproval. 'It was meant to be a gift for someone but I left work last week without it and, well, now it's ours!' she unscrewed the top.

'Do you really think consuming more alcohol is wise?'

'Yes.' She said smiling. She pouted it into the mugs and handed him one. Ric hesitated slightly but took it. 'In for a penny, in for a pound.' Serena said.

Ric read the label on the bottle. He was surprised that it was quite a cheap wine.

'It was a gift for someone I don't particularly like.' Serena told him, noticing the look on his face. 'I didn't see the point in wasting a good bottle on them.'

Ric laughed. He took a sip of the wine and winced slightly. 'Oh this is going to make for a vicious hangover tomorrow.'

Serena nodded in agreement after sipping her own. 'Perhaps in future I'll make sure to buy a good bottle no matter who it's for. Just in case of any future incidences like this!' It really was not good wine.

'I can't imagine incidences like this will occur very often.'

'No. Shame.' She said, her eyes twinkling before she winked at him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you all for your reactions to this story. The Ric/Serena chemistry is one of my favourite things on Holby at the moment but I find it difficult to write. I find Ric especially difficult to write, he is always on that thin line between pompous and endearing. I hope I managed it in this chapter. this was meant to be the last chapter but I'm not sure if I like the ending.**

* * *

Ric lay back on the end of the bed with his mug of wine resting on his stomach and laughing. Serena sat up against the headboard also in stitches. She stopped suddenly and watched Ric.

After a moment he noticed she had gone quiet and turned his head at an angle to face her.

'You know Mr Griffin, I don't believe I've ever seen you so relaxed.' She told him.

'I suspect there may be a direct correlation between that and the fact that you have never seen me this drunk.' Ric replied.

They both laughed again.

'So Slick Ric, is it true you have six children?' she asked.

'Yep.'

'Wow.' Serena was genuinely surprised by this.

'And I have grandchildren.' Ric added proudly.

'You're a _granddad_?' Serena exclaimed.

Ric laughed at her surprise.

'Gosh I don't think I've ever fanc…' Serena stopped herself.

'You've never what?' Ric asked.

'Uh… never…' she tried to think something other than the words she had almost just confessed but her brain, slowed by all the alcohol couldn't come up with anything. 'Doesn't matter.'

She took another drink of her wine. Ric sat up to face her, a smirk on his face.

'Were you about to say 'fancied'?' he asked.

Serena rolled her eyes. 'Yes, alright. I was going to say I've never fancied a granddad before!'

'So you fancy me?' Ric asked, a wide grin spreading across his face.

'When I've had this much wine I fancy lots of people.' She said trying to brush it off.

'You've fancied me for longer than that.' He said confidently.

'You are so full of yourself.' She said in a bored tone.

'Am I?' he tested, moving further up the bed.

'Ric Griffin are you trying to make a move on me?' she asked noticing how much closer he was getting.

'Would it work if I was?' he asked.

Serena tilted her head slightly and smiled. Before she could answer the door opened and Digby appeared.

'Oh!' he gasped in surprise when he saw the two senior consultants on the bed. 'I was…uh I thou…um.' He gulped. 'Dr Malick… here… not. Obviously. Sorry.' He stepped back out and shut the door.

Serena and Ric looked at each other and burst into laughter again.

* * *

Malick found a jittery Digby standing by the nurses' station.

'Digby. Everything alright?' he slapped Digby on the back and the F1 jumped nervously.

'I… I was looking for you.' Digby said.

'Now you've found me. Congratulations.'

'I went into the On Call room.' Digby continued. 'I thought you might be in there but…'

'I wasn't.' Malick said, a smile beginning to develop.

'No.' Digby took a deep breath. 'Mr Griffin and Ms Campbell were in there. On the bed.'

'Whoa whoa Arthur! Let me stop you there.' Malick held up his hands. 'Mr Griffin and Ms Campbell got stranded here because of the weather. They are using the On Call room as a base for the night. That is all any of us need to know.'

'I wasn't suggesting there was anything improper.' Digby said worriedly.

'Good.'

'It's just… well they were both…'

'Diggers! What did I just say? We don't need to know. It won't help any of us to discuss the sleeping arrangements in that room tonight.' He slapped Digby on the back again. 'Now. Go check on Mr Branning.'

Digby nodded. Malick sighed.

'Something wrong?' Chantelle asked.

'Nah.' He said. 'Make sure no one goes near the On Call room though yea?'

'Why?'

'Mr Griffin and Ms Campbell are in there.' He said.

'Why?' she repeated, a confused look on her face.

'They got stranded by the weather.' He explained.

'Oh.' Chantelle said. 'They're both in there?'

Malick nodded.

'But there's only one bed.' She said. Malick said nothing. 'There's a spare bed in one of the side rooms that isn't being used. Do you think I should tell them? In case one of them wants to sleep there?'

'I don't think it's necessary.' Malick said, hoping she would get the drift and not ask any more questions.

Chantelle looked at him for a moment. 'Right.' She said, nodding in understanding. 'I'll make sure no one else goes near the On Call room.'

* * *

'Don't you think locking the door might raise more suspicions?' Ric asked, watching Serena lock the door to the room.

Serena shrugged. 'I'd lock it if I were in here alone.'

As she made her way back towards the bed she wobbled and Ric caught her, placing his hands on her hips to steady her. Serena placed her hands over his gently, stroking them with her thumbs. Although Ric was the last person she would expect to see it it from, she recognised the look in his eyes and she recognised the reaction it was provoking within herself. The question was: should she give into this unexpected desire.

Ric stood up, sliding his hands to her waist. He leaned in slowly and saw Serena close her eyes awaiting his lips. Once they touched it was as though they were both filled with a sudden franticness and heat. Serena began to unbutton the buttons of his shirt as he twirled her around and pushed until she lowered gently onto the bed, pulling him with her. His hands ran over her body and his kisses moved from her lips to her neck.

Ric began unbuttoning Serena's blouse. If anyone had asked him this morning how he saw his night panning out, making love to Serena Campbell in the on call room wouldn't have even remotely entered his head as a possible answer.

Her hands roamed across his chest and up over his shoulders, pushing back the opened shirt. Serena could barely believe that this was Ric Griffin whom she lay beneath. He kissed her throat, her clavicle, her breast bone… his hands slid down towards the waist of her trousers as Serena's did similarly with his. Serena made quicker progress as he had to pause and rest his weight on his elbows, he took a moment to look at Serena. She smiled at him and arched to kiss him again, his trousers undone. It appeared Serena was equally efficient in all aspects of life, he thought to himself in amusement.

'Ric.' Serena gasped.

'Yes?' he began to nuzzle her neck again.

'Have you got a condom?'

'What?' he was having difficulty focusing on anything other than the physical.

'A condom.' She repeated. 'We don't want to add a number seven!' Referring to the number of children he already had.

Ric paused. He didn't have one. He sighed in frustration.

Serena paused. 'I'll take that as a no?'

Ric raised himself above her and shook his head. Serena looked dismayed.

'I can go get one.' He suggested. Her face brightened. 'I'll be five minutes.' He said getting up and straightening out his clothing as quickly as he could.

Serena readjusted her own clothing. 'Be quick!' she told him.

'Oh believe me, I will!' he assured her before disappearing out the door.

* * *

Thirty minutes later Ric couldn't believe how difficult it was to find a condom in a hospital. None of the gents had vending machines, he couldn't be seen asking any from the pharmacy and there was no reason for any of the wards to have them. He growled in frustration.

He considered his other options. Asking someone? But who? Malick? He would die of embarrassment. Michael Spence? He'd rather risk a seventh child. He'd rather risk triplets!

That left braving the cold and running across the street to a 24 hour shop. He looked outside and the still falling snow. He sighed and made his way outside.

* * *

By the time he returned to the On Call room he was frozen but in possession of a box of Durex ribbed condoms. He opened the door gently and immediately began his apology.

'I'm so sorry, I didn't think it would take that long.'

Serena was lying on her side. He approached quietly. 'Serena?'

She was asleep. He almost laughed. After all that she was asleep. He sighed, left the box of durex on the bedside table and climbed onto the bed gingerly beside Serena. He put his arm across her and gently placed a kiss on her cheek. She didn't stir.

* * *

Serena awoke in the morning to find herself snuggled against Ric Griffin. As quickly as consciousness set in so to did the pounding pain in her head.

'Oh god.' She uttered, wincing.

'No, just me.' Ric replied smiling.

Serena peeked at him through squinted eyes. 'What have we done?' she asked in a raspy voice.

'What do you remember us doing?' he asked.

Serena thought back. She remembered the incident in Albie's, Michael being injured, the snow, the wine… Subconsciously she glanced down at herself. They were both still fully clothed and above the bed clothes.

Ric noticed the momentary look of panic and felt a sharp stab of disappointment. He didn't want to be anyone's mistake.

'Don't worry. We didn't.' he said, disentangling himself from her and sitting up.

Serena also sat up and in so doing noticed the condoms of the bedside table. She remembered him going to get them.

'Perhaps everything happens for a reason. If it hadn't taken me so ling to find those we might have ended up doing something we'd really be regretting today.'

Serena noticed a hurt look on his face before he turned away.

'A whole box? You were optimistic!' she tried to joke.

'They don't sell them in singles.'

'Where did you get them?' she asked for the sake of having something to say as she straightened out her clothes. She had done her buttons up wrong last night.

'Across the street.'

'You went out in that weather?' she asked surprised.

'I was highly motivated.' He said dryly.

Serena smiled. 'Pity not to make use of them then.'

Ric stared at her trying to figure out what she meant. 'Are you suggesting…?'

'I'm suggesting, seeing as we're not on shift today, we go back to my place for some breakfast.'

Ric smiled. Then he remembered her daughter. 'Eleanor?'

'At a friend's.'

'What are we waiting for then? I'm starving.' He grinned.


End file.
